Let me preface by saying that I have read the "electric flight for beginners" document and searched the forum for about an hour now...I mustn't be entering the right search parameters as I can't quite get an answer to my question

I understand a few things, but am confused as hell as well

Basically I am buying a GWS Dragonfly due to the cost and easy access to spares.

welcome to the real world of flying. (lol)
i would keep it stock to begin with, it shouldnt take you long to work out where you want to go next with upgrades.
My view is that these dragonfly style of helis are cheap learning tools and good fun toys that should be enjoyed as they are. When you are ready for major upgades there are better helis to use.
use the stock components until something burns. the set up is straight forward that way, and you dont nees heli mixing on the radio. to go to seperates with the pg3 gyro requires revo mixing and makes set up more difficult for a new flyer.

So, OzzieFlyer, how much is this costing you? And what are you getting for that cost? What parts do you already have? I'm just thinking about getting into helis and seeing that you actually are just getting into them, I figure you have the best memory of what the initial costs are. I've been flying fixed-wing models for a year and I think helis might be something fun to try.
~John

The helis are definitely fun to try. I'm loving it. (vs my wife who hates it) After a week I can now hover a pack. A lithium pack being approx 20mins flight time. My arm is dead sore afterwards as I'm not at the stage where I can hover in "relaxed" fashion.

If you fly fixed wing electrics, you will probably find that you have much of what you need, like I did. So I just needed to buy the heli and mixer..and spares of course.

Even though you could go seperates if your radio could do revo mixing (which I could have done), It is easier to just start off with the mixer board.

I would recommend getting a flight sim and matchint tx cable. I learned to hover on a sim before getting my dragonfly and he transition from sim to real was easier than expected. It IS a lot different to fixed wing though, your fixed wing skills will help, but not much.

Ozzieflyer - I'm running the Mini Dragonfly (at least that's what it says on the box) and Kellets (Liverpool NSW) sells a pack of two tail motors for $A22.
My upgrade is gonna be the Eolo R22 ......
I'm working on the basis that I'll still have one to fly if the other's waiting on parts...
I also read that it's not wise to use Lipos whilst training but so far my chopper has valiently sacrificed all its expensive bits to save the battery!

dlps...good point about the battery. But it's a risk i'm prepared to take. The main risk with lipos is if they can punctured and/ shorted. By flying on a smooth surface, you really limit that risk.

The catch22 is, you learn faster and crash less with lipos (in my opinion) as you get longer practice sessions. My sessions lasted 40 minutes, vs my friend with the stock setup of 10 minutes. I'm hovering for 15+ minutes in a week, he's hovering for 1 minute in the same time.

Luckily, the only damage so far is 3 tail rotors. Everything else is in top nick